Tears Well ~ 4 Years Family!

Today marks a BIG day in our family!

I've often wondered what things would be like on this day.

How would "we" be?

Would we still worry or wonder?

We we all feel "at home"? 

Today marks the momentous day that Allan has been our son longer than he was not...

1460 days of being mama to this boy!

My heart breaks and hurts and reels when I remember this day. Oh, how horrible and wonderful it all was. I see his chubby face and tears well.

35063 hours of sonship, brotherhood and family.

Then I see him, like today, looking through an open door, saying "Maaah... can I have lemonade?" and he looks so big, so almost-nine and all-boy and saying my name in the way only he says it. I see his big boy face and tears well.

I can't express how good it feels. 

It is natural. It is honest. It is family.

I know it isn't the wish I'd give to my son, adoption that is, but it is what it is and its been good.

His name means precious. And he is. He is so so precious to me.

Thank you Jesus for letting me be his mama!

Summer Recap ~ Because I Haven't Blogged Since June

All good summers start with sunshine and smiles...

Addie managed the trading post again and mowed our lawn on her own... The boys later joined her in both tasks and it was a game changer for us! 

Eli took his grandma out on a paddle board. 

We did the Duck Race ... The water was high! Later the EPA spilled 3 million gallons of toxic mine water into our river... True story! 

The camp babies played and we all watched them.

We had mice. This one fell in my sink and couldn't get out. I picked him up with tongs and put him outside. I think he promptly came back in... 

Highland Games at camp, never disappoint. 

Addie baby wearing for the 1st time 

Our friends from TN, the Velkers, stopped for a visit... We have 13 children combined! Loved seeing them and sharing a little bit of life. 

Allan made a new friend 

Camp nurse Justine showed my children how to find out where their poop is located in their bodies by thumping sounds. 

Whitley learned to play the piano...

Then climbed the stairs. 

Knitting class - Year 8! Knit on! 

We all sat and watched babies play some more. 

Camp ended and we went nutso! 

We are currently finishing up our summer 35 Book Reading Challenge! This was Cora's last book... read to Whitley, because it just seemed fitting. 

This summer was a wild one! 

Tim and I had our 13th anniversary. Tim nearly cut his pinky off. We drilled a well, made a road, and made some big life choices. We walked alongside our staff as they did what God put before them. We finally got Thea fully potty trained!!! Glory be! 

I felt like I was riding a bucking bronco, just hanging on for dear life, most of the time. Goodness knows I don't do so well at that, but God was there, ever present, always gracious and might! 

It was real. 

Real good.

Real hard.

Real eventful. 

Real sweet. 

Real God by our side! 

A Week of Words Around Our Home

Cora  

"Is there quicksand in water?" ... "If someone steps in quicksand we can pray and ask God to help them... That would be the best thing to do, I think." 

"Elias, when someone says 'No.' you don't just stand there saying 'Pleeeeeze.' Everyone knows that that doesn't work... and it annoying!"

"If a man ever tried to kiss me I'd tell him 'I don't do that until I am married, Mr.!' And I wouldn't!"

Elias 

"Hey, look at my back mom. I got a carpet stain on it..." (He meant a rug burn).

Addie 

I (mama) was talking to Tim as we were watching Fantasia and asked "Did you get to watch this too when you had a sub at school?" Addie said "They let you eat subs at school! That's so cool!" 

Allan

"Whitley you are so nice and fat on your legs!"
(True to his African heritage... he loves fatness!)

Thea

"Mom! Cora broke my feelings..."

"Mom? Does that picture make me look like Miss Hannigan?" 

Mama~ "No, honey. Do you think you look like Miss Hannigan in it?"

Thea~ "Yeah... I look funny!"

Lashes

I spend a lot of my daily hours staring at theses little people. 

Particularly when they are looking down reading or doing school work. 

The depth of the beauty God has placed around me!

Allan is 8!

Happy Birthday Allan!

You're the best Christmas present I've ever received!

So thankful to be your mama!

Love your heart. 

Love,

Mom

Thanksgiving

My in-laws came for a long overdue visit.

They drove for days to get to us... with only one driver (my mother-in-love is an amazing woman)!

We got to enjoy Thanksgiving with them.

Sweet moments to give thanks for!